2007-11-26

Perennial vegetables

Could be worth a try. Everyone's favorite, artichoke, is well known as are asparagus and rhubarb. I failed at growing rhubarb last year and the year before and the year before so maybe I'll have luck with some other vegetable.

French sorrel - In mild climates, the lemony leaves are edible year-round

Jerusalem artichoke (a.k.a. sunchokes) - The tubers are crisp, nutty and sweet, and can be eaten raw, baked, boiled in soups or mashed along with potatoes.

Lovage - large celery-like perennial that grows up to 6 feet tall. Its flavor is very intense. The young leaves and stems lend themselves well to soups.

Mashua - An Andean root crop, mashua is a relative of the nasturtium. Mashua is a vigorously growing vine; give it a trellis to climb. The long, white, fingerlike tubers, which can be baked, roasted or put in a soup.

Nettle - Cooking will take away the sting, and the cooked tender leaves and shoots taste like spinach.

Oca - Andean root crop grown similar to potatoes. The tubers are harvested at the end of the growing season.

Pepino dulce - The pepino plant actually produces a fruit similar in taste to cantaloupe.

Tree collards - Produce a kale-like brassica leaf year-round in cooler climates. The leaves are good steamed, braised and in soups, stews and casseroles.

Yacón - An aster, and yet another Andean root crop, yacón produces small, football-like tubers that are mostly eaten raw, similar to a jicama.